Friday, October 30, 2015

Swimming and Project Runway Thoughts

Yesterday's gym time was awesome, today's swimming will be a bit harder since it's been a week since I've been in the water. Nonetheless, I'm looking forward to getting into the pool and sweating underneath a lot of chlorinated water.

If I didn't have ten laps with my paddles, I'd never be ableto keep up with Rosemary. (They're also fabulous for focusingthe exercise on my upper body since I use a buoy along with them.)

I usually share a lane with Rosemary. Rosemary is five years older than I am, several inches shorter, a lot of pounds lighter, and she's fast. I usually end my swim at almost the same time as she does, but if I didn't do ten laps with my paddles, I'd be way behind. I always have to seriously push myself to stay within a lap of her and we usually start within half a lap of each other.

I was actually certified as a lifeguard while in high school, but I wouldn'tqualify today. We have a great group of lifeguards at my pool.

In the lane next to us is Meg. Meg was a lifeguard as a teen and swam competitively throughout her high school and college years. She's also a senior citizen and she usually swims pretty much nonstop for two miles or so. She's faster than either Rosemary or me and I never even come close to her speed.

I'm not always a drowning guppy.

Of course, I'm not there for a speed contest, I'm there to work out my body, especially my upper body. I have to remind myself of that now and again, because I'm also fairly competitive by nature and subconsciously want to meet or beat these two ladies. I don't have a chance in hell of doing that. But I've come a long way from the first week or so when I couldn't even swim a single length of the pool. I swim my mile now, and really love it. I guess I'm not always a drowning guppy. We'll have to see how today's swim actually goes. Happy Friday. Have you chosen your Halloween costume yet?

SPOILERS FOR PROJECT RUNWAY BELOW

So the first of the expanded Project Runway Fashion Week episodes was on last night.

First - Tim Gunn finally used his save to bring Edmond back from elimination. It was a good move. For once the remaining contestants were happy with his choice instead of feeling that it had been wasted on someone who didn't deserve it. Edmond deserves to be in contention, so there were four making lines for Fashion Week.

Tim made his usual visits to the studios and families to view work in progress and give critique. Candice would have done well to actually listen to him instead of say that she wanted to have her own vision after he left. Really bad idea there, Candice.

So the designers get back to New York and have to do the usual - "make one more item for your collection, choose two others, and do an abbreviated runway for critique" - do. Final thoughts after the judges looked at the clothing?

Edmond has lost his sexy. He needs to find it again.

Edmond has lost his way. He needs to get his sexy back. Gowns are fine, but the spark is missing.

Kelly had a playful look that was very her, but it didn't look liketop notch fashion, rather like something that could be purchasedoff the rack.

Kelly needs to make her streetwear look luxurious on the runway. That's going to be hard to do because her look is really playful, but she's got to try for expensive and lux.

Ashley's collection was totally her and really allowed herplus-sized models to sizzle. Very nice.

Ashley needs to work on her detail work, but her collection was totally her and really nice. Way to go Ashley!

Candice didn't show her show stoppers, but this was enough for thejudges to shred her collection to pieces. Serious editing is required.

Candice went too costume and drag queen and she hasn't even shown her end look yet. Her advice from the judges was to tone it down - she's got a LOT of work to do to manage that since her collection would make a drag queen sigh with love.

Next week is the final show for Season 14. At this point I feel any of the four might pull it off, but I'm really pulling for Ashley who seems to have really gotten into her groove for her final collection.